A common theme in Yezierska’s short stories is society’s obsession with cleanliness. In a time when hygiene was a luxury, only the wealthy of the early 20th century could afford to have an immaculate appearance and spotless kitchens. This strive for esthetic perfection was so deeply rooted within the moral of New York City dwellers that being clean seemed to override gender, race, and surprisingly, social status. In theory, it made sense; for how could one be clean without sitting at the top of the often-treaded social ladder?
Simple. For those that were not inherently rich, aiming for cleanliness in one aspect of life was all that mattered. For Hanneh Hayyeh, in The Lost “Beautifulness”, her deepest desire was to have a spotless white kitchen. Though she lived in a tenement and earned a meager wage, she beamed with pride at creating something that resembled the glamorous kitchen of her wealthy employer. Likewise, the protagonist of Soap and Water wished to dress like the respectable ladies of her day. For her, society was divided amongst those that washed nice clothing and those that wore them. Speaking to her dean, a lady of wealth and status, she felt ashamed of her unkempt appearance. Yezierska writes, “She never looked into my eyes. She never perceived that I had a soul…She was merely one of the agents of clean society, delegated to judge who is fit and who is unfit to teach” (10). Though equipped with a college degree, an impressive feat for any female of the time, the immigrant girl could not associate herself with the middle class because her dirty clothing suggested otherwise.
Hanneh Hayyeh and the immigrant girl of the second passage desired nothing more than to have beauty in their lives. Yet neither could fulfill her dream without facing an obstacle. Hanneh, after showing her dazzling kitchen to her landlord, was forced to pay higher rent for her “renovated” apartment. The protagonist of Soap and Water was denied a teaching position because she did not look like a well-groomed lady. Experiencing bitter hardship and injustice, both characters reexamined what it meant to be American. They were skeptical of the nation’s democracy. Was this truly a land of gold or was opportunity and the prospect of wealth simply a mirage?
Hanneh Hayyeh battled her landlord in court, and though she lost, her effort was not in vain. Her neighbors and friends all learned of the corrupt dealings of the city and developed a vehement need for change. Even today, New Yorkers uphold the value of justice. I wonder if this mindset dates back to the earlier immigrants, like Hanneh, that fought for America to uphold its promises.
